Those Who Are Persecuted

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
-Matthew 5:10

Those words, when we feel that what we are doing is right, might make a difference to an entire movement. To feel persecuted, especially for what you believe, might be totally worth it if you know that the kingdom is yours. There lies two problems in this.

The first is a question of if what is being done truly is righteous. Anyone can claim to believe that what they are doing is God’s will, but, is it? For we are men, what do we know of the will of God? The second problem lies in us making ourselves victims, simply for the the “glory.” We should not want to do the will of God for the reward of the kingdom, but for the fact that it is simply God’s will.

The solution to the two problems is by no means an easy one. First, it is imperative to be seeking God’s will before acting, instead of acting and then looking for God’s will in it. Second, we must seek to better understand our own desires and motivations. As I stated before, none of this is easy. Only in prayer can we understand both ourselves and our God as well as to be able to act in a way that is righteous.

But to truly be righteous is to be radical. How can we not be persecuted when we are radical? But to be persecuted is also a lot easier said than done. It is easy to start out on the good path, but it is difficult to stay there. Only God can keep us on the good path, but only we can put ourselves on it to begin with.

As I keep repeating, this isn’t easy. It is difficult to do the will of God, and it is more difficult to pray for your enemies, even as you are persecuted. I’m struggling with all of this. Please, keep me in your prayers.